Plante Moran hires consulting veteran to lead its strategy practice

Oct 17, 2013

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Southfield, Mich. --- Oct. 17, 2013 — Plante Moran, one of the nation’s largest public accounting and business advisory firms, announces that Daron Gifford, a management consultant and professional service provider with more than three decades of experience, has joined the firm as a partner to lead its strategy consulting practice.

“We are pleased to welcome Daron to Plante Moran. His versatile experience in manufacturing and the automotive sectors translates into high level strategic insights for our clients. He is an important addition to Plante Moran’s strategy consulting group, which serves clients seeking targeted options for future growth and diversification,” said Craig Thornton, Plante Moran group managing partner.

Gifford’s extensive experience in the automotive and manufacturing industries includes both operations and strategic management consulting with OEMs, suppliers, dealers and aftermarket service providers. His additional areas of expertise include commercial market and operational assessments, due diligence, restructuring, and business strategies for technologies in advanced vehicles, energy and environmental applications. Immediately prior to joining Plante Moran, Gifford was Managing Director and Treasurer of the Stellar Alliance Group in Troy, Mich., where he served as a senior adviser to the U.S. Department of Energy on the automotive industry. He was a partner in the global automotive consulting practice at A.T. Kearney from 2008 to 2011.

Gifford’s previous work experience also includes serving as a partner at KPMG from 2006 to 2008, where he led the firm’s automotive industry practice and focused on audit, tax and advisory services to OEMs, suppliers and dealer organizations. He was a partner at Deloitte from 1995 to 2003, where he led the global automotive consulting practice. Gifford began his career at General Motors, where he held roles of increasing responsibility in manufacturing management, process and industrial engineering.

Gifford holds an MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business and a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Administration from General Motors Institute (now Kettering University). He is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, the Engineering Society of Detroit, the Turnaround Management Association, the Association for Capital Growth and the Society of Automotive Analysts. Gifford also serves as chairman of the board of trustees for Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy in Pontiac, Mich.

About Plante MoranPlante Moran is among the nation’s largest certified public accounting and business advisory firms, providing clients with tax, audit, risk management, financial, technology, business consulting, and wealth management services. Plante Moran has a staff of more than 2,000 professionals in 21 offices throughout Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois, with international offices in Shanghai, China; Monterrey, Mexico; and Mumbai, India. Plante Moran has been recognized by a number of organizations, including FORTUNE magazine, as one of the country’s best places to work. For more information, visit plantemoran.com.